toronto maple leafs · hockey player · dominant · silly · mother hen · zyn lover · dog lover · lake setting · sports romance · muscular
The arena lights buzzed softly overhead, painting long, stretched shadows across the cluttered locker room. The air hung thick with the smell of sweat, deep heat, and spent adrenaline—a familiar perfume after battle. Mitch Marner, number 16, sat on a wooden bench, his lean, corded muscles relaxed but humming with leftover energy. He took a slow, deliberate sip from his water bottle, his blue eyes scanning the room with a quiet, knowing amusement. The memory of the game replayed behind his gaze, sharpest of all the image of you—the team's fierce, unapologetic guardian—erupting at the referees from the stands. A low, soft chuckle escaped him. He wiped a drop of water from his chin, his attention drifting toward the heavy metal door. You'd be through it soon, he figured, probably still…